Services
Who I work with
Individuals
Organisations
Adolescents and Pre-adolescents
Schools
Couples
Other counsellors
Families
At Michelle Makrell Counselling, a range of therapeutic services are offered to support psychological wellbeing, personal growth and emotional resilience.
My approach to counselling is eclectic and client-centred, shaped by the unique needs and experiences of each individual. I primarily work within Narrative Therapy but integrate practical tools and techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) when appropriate, ensuring that each person receives the most effective support for their journey.
I walk alongside adults as they navigate challenges such as anxiety, depression, grief, trauma in its many forms and major life changes. I also work with couples, parents, families and others facing relational struggles—providing a safe, supportive space to talk things through, heal and rebuild meaningful connection.
With many years of experience working in school settings, I hold a deep respect for the complexities and possibilities of adolescence. Supporting tweens, teens, and young adults is a meaningful and purposeful part of my practice. I also offer comprehensive career guidance and psychometric assessments to assist with personal and professional development.
In addition to client work, I’m committed to mentoring and supporting fellow counsellors, particularly those new to the field. I offer professional guidance, reflective spaces, and encouragement to help other practitioners grow in confidence, deepen their clinical insight and remain grounded in their own wellbeing.
Life can feel overwhelming at times—whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, grief, or simply facing a difficult season of change. Individual counselling offers a private, compassionate space where you can pause, reflect and begin to make sense of what you’re experiencing.
I work alongside tweens, teens and adults seeking support for a range of concerns, including mental health challenges, personal growth, trauma, stress and life transitions. Through a personalised approach that best suits you and your individual personality and needs, I help you explore your thoughts and emotions, build resilience and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
Whether you're feeling stuck, seeking healing or wanting to understand yourself better, individual counselling is a space where you will be heard, supported and challenged towards healing and growth.
Individual Counselling
How I can help
Every relationship faces challenges—whether it’s communication breakdown, conflict, distance or the weight of life’s demands. Couples counselling provides a space where both partners can feel heard, supported and understood as you work through difficulties together.
In our sessions, I help couples strengthen their connection, rebuild trust and develop healthier ways of relating to one another. Whether you're navigating a rough patch, dealing with unresolved issues, or simply want to deepen your relationship, counselling can offer the tools and insight needed to move forward with greater compassion and clarity.
My role is to guide you both through open respectful conversations that foster understanding, healing and hope for the future.
Couples (Marriage Counselling)
Family life can be deeply rewarding, but it can also bring stress, conflict and growing pains—especially during times of change. Whether you're navigating parenting challenges, blending families, or learning how to co-parent after separation, I provide a supportive space for families to reconnect and move forward with greater understanding.
In our sessions, I work with parents, caregivers and family members to strengthen communication, set healthy boundaries and build more harmonious relationships. My approach is grounded in empathy and respect for each person's experience, helping you navigate the complexities of family life with clarity and care.
You don't have to have it all figured out - family counselling can be a place to pause, reflect and grow together.
Family
I work alongside tween, teens, and adults seeking support for a range of concerns, including mental health challenges, personal growth, trauma, stress, and life transitions. Through a personalised approach that best suits you, I help you explore your thoughts and emotions, build resilience, and help you move forward with greater clarity and confidence. Whether you're feeling stuck, seeking healing, or wanting to understand yourself better, individual councelling is a space where you will be heard, supported and challenged towards healing and growth.
In our sessions, I help couples strengthen their connection, rebuild trust, and develop healthier ways of relating to one another. Whether you're navigating a rough patch, dealing with unresolved issues, or simply want to deepen your relationship, concelling can offer the tools and insight needed to move forward with greater compassion and clarity. My role is to guide you both through open respectful conversations that foster understanding, healing, and hope for the future.
I work alongside tweens, teens, and adults seeking support for a range of concerns, including mental health challenges, personal growth, trauma, stress, and life transitions. Using an approach tailored to your needs, I help you explore your thoughts and emotions, build resilience, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence. Whether you're feeling stuck, seeking healing, or wanting to understand yourself better, individual councelling is a space where you are supported. heard, and never alone.
Life can feel overwhelming at times—whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, grief, or simply facing a difficult season of change. Individual counselling offers a private, compassionate space where you can pause, reflect, and begin to make sense of what you’re experiencing.
Individual Counselling
In our sessions, I help couples strengthen their connection, rebuild trust, and develop healthier ways of relating to one another. Whether you're navigating a rough patch, dealing with unresolved issues, or simply want to deepen your relationship, concelling can offer the tools and insight needed to move forward with greater compassion and clarity. My role is to guide you both through open respectful conversations that foster understanding, healing, and hope for the future.
Every relationship faces challenges—whether it’s communication breakdown, conflict, distance, or the weight of life’s demands. Couples counselling provides a space where both partners can feel heard, supported, and understood as you work through difficulties together.
Couples (Marriage Counselling)
In our sessions, I work with parents, caregivers, and family members to strengthen communication, set healthy boundaries, and build more harmonious relationships. My approach is grounded in empathy and respect for each person's experience, helping you navigate the complexities of family life with clarity and care. You don't have to have it all figured out - family counselling can be a place to pause, reflect, and grow together.
Family life can be deeply rewarding, but it can also bring stress, conflict, and growing pains—especially during times of change. Whether you're navigating parenting challenges, blending families, or learning how to co-parent after separation, I provide a supportive space for families to reconnect and move forward with greater understanding.
Family
Individual Counselling
Couples (Marriage Counselling)
How I can help
Individual Counselling
Life can feel overwhelming at times—whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, grief, or simply facing a difficult season of change. Individual counselling offers a private, compassionate space where you can pause, reflect and begin to make sense of what you’re experiencing.
I work alongside tweens, teens and adults seeking support for a range of concerns, including mental health challenges, personal growth, trauma, stress and life transitions. Through a personalised approach that best suits you and your individual personality and needs, I help you explore your thoughts and emotions, build resilience and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
Whether you're feeling stuck, seeking healing or wanting to understand yourself better, individual counselling is a space where you will be heard, supported and challenged towards healing and growth.
Couples (Marriage Counselling)
In our sessions, I work with parents, caregivers, and family members to strengthen communication, set healthy boundaries, and build more harmonious relationships. My approach is grounded in empathy and respect for each person's experience, helping you navigate the complexities of family life with clarity and care. You don't have to have it all figured out - family counselling can be a place to pause, reflect, and grow together.
Every relationship faces challenges—whether it’s communication breakdown, conflict, distance or the weight of life’s demands. Couples counselling provides a space where both partners can feel heard, supported and understood as you work through difficulties together.
In our sessions, I help couples strengthen their connection, rebuild trust and develop healthier ways of relating to one another. Whether you're navigating a rough patch, dealing with unresolved issues, or simply want to deepen your relationship, counselling can offer the tools and insight needed to move forward with greater compassion and clarity.
My role is to guide you both through open respectful conversations that foster understanding, healing and hope for the future.
Family
Family life can be deeply rewarding, but it can also bring stress, conflict and growing pains—especially during times of change. Whether you're navigating parenting challenges, blending families, or learning how to co-parent after separation, I provide a supportive space for families to reconnect and move forward with greater understanding.
In our sessions, I work with parents, caregivers and family members to strengthen communication, set healthy boundaries and build more harmonious relationships. My approach is grounded in empathy and respect for each person's experience, helping you navigate the complexities of family life with clarity and care.
You don't have to have it all figured out - family counselling can be a place to pause, reflect and grow together.
Family
I have a special interest—and many years of experience—working with tweens, teens and young adults. These years can be filled with growth and discovery but also with real challenges that impact emotional wellbeing and self-worth.
In counselling, I offer a safe non-judgemental space where young people can explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences. I work with issues such as trauma, self-harm, bullying, social-media pressures, pornography and difficult peer or family relationships. I also support adolescents navigating psychosocial challenges related to learning or neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD, Autism (ASD) and other forms of neurodiversity.
Whether it's emotional support, help with goal setting, or making sense of a complex or changing world, I aim to walk alongside each young person with empathy, respect and care.
Adolescents & Youth Counselling
I value and celebrate diversity, welcoming clients from all cultural, religious and life backgrounds. Throughout the counselling process, I am committed to maintaining professional conduct and adhering to the ethical standards outlined by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). In line with these principles, I do not bring my personal beliefs into counselling unless specifically invited to do so.
On a personal note, though, I am a committed born-again Christian and am happy to incorporate a pastoral or biblically based approach to counselling when this aligns with a client’s preference.
Pastoral counselling integrates psychological insight with spiritual care, offering support that addresses both emotional and faith-related aspects of a person’s wellbeing. It provides a compassionate space where individuals can explore their challenges through the lens of their spiritual beliefs and values.
For those specifically seeking clinical pastoral care, I welcome the opportunity to support you—whether through faith-based guidance or another therapeutic approach—as we work together toward healing and personal growth.
Pastoral Counselling
I offer career guidance counselling to support senior learners and adults as they explore subject choices, career options and university applications—both locally and internationally. These sessions provide clarity and direction during key decision-making moments.
For those seeking deeper insight, I provide comprehensive psychometric assessments tailored for subject choice or career guidance. This process includes a full battery of tests - aptitude, personality, values and interests alongside qualitative methods to support meaningful self-discovery. The goal is to help you make informed, confident decisions about your future.
When working with adolescents, I actively involve parents in the process. They are encouraged to attend the pre-assessment consultation and are invited to the detailed feedback session, where we discuss the report results and recommendations together.
Career Guidance &
Psychometric Assessment
Adolescents & Youth Counselling
Career Guidance &
Psychometric Assessment
Supervision & Mentorship
Adolescents & Youth Counselling
Career Guidance &
Psychometric Assessment
In counselling, I offer a safe non-judgemental space where young people can explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences. I work with issues such as trauma, self-harm, bullying, social-media pressures, pornography, and difficult peer or family relationships. I also support adolescents navigating psychosocial challenges related to learning or neurodevelepmental conditions like ADHD, Autism (ASD), and other forms of neurodiversity. Whether it's emotional support, help with goal setting, or making sense of a complex or changing world, I aim to walk alongside each young person with empathy respect, and care.
For those seeking deeper insight, I provide comrehensive psychometric assessments tailored for subject choice or career guidance. This process includes a full battery of tests - aptitude, personality, values, and interests alongside qualitative methods to support meaningful self-discovery. The goal is to help you make informed, confident descisions about your future. When working with adolescents, I actively involve parents in the process. They are encouraged to attend the pre-assessment consultation and are invited to the detailed feedback session, where we unpack the report and recommendations together.
On a personal note, though I am a born again Christian and am happy to incorporate a pastoral or biblically based approach to counselling when this aligns with a clients preference. Pastoral counselling integrates psychological insight with spiritual care, offering support that addresses both emotional and faith-related aspects of a person's wellbeing. It provides a compassionate speace where individuals can explore their challenges through the lens of their spiritual beliefs and values. For those specifically seeking clinical pastoral care, I welcome the opportunity to support you - whether through faith-based guidance or another theraputic approach - as we work together toward healing and personal growth.
Adolescents & Youth
Counselling
I have a special interest—and many years of experience—working with tweens, teens and young adults. These years can be filled with growth and discovery but also with real challenges that impact emotional wellbeing and self-worth.
In counselling, I offer a safe non-judgemental space where young people can explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences. I work with issues such as trauma, self-harm, bullying, social-media pressures, pornography and difficult peer or family relationships. I also support adolescents navigating psychosocial challenges related to learning or neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD, Autism (ASD) and other forms of neurodiversity.
Whether it's emotional support, help with goal setting, or making sense of a complex or changing world, I aim to walk alongside each young person with empathy, respect and care.
Career Guidance &
Psychometric Assessment
I offer career guidance counselling to support senior learners and adults as they explore subject choices, career options and university applications—both locally and internationally. These sessions provide clarity and direction during key decision-making moments.
For those seeking deeper insight, I provide comprehensive psychometric assessments tailored for subject choice or career guidance. This process includes a full battery of tests - aptitude, personality, values and interests alongside qualitative methods to support meaningful self-discovery. The goal is to help you make informed, confident decisions about your future.
When working with adolescents, I actively involve parents in the process. They are encouraged to attend the pre-assessment consultation and are invited to the detailed feedback session, where we discuss the report results and recommendations together.
Pastoral Counselling
I value and celebrate diversity, welcoming clients from all cultural, religious and life backgrounds. Throughout the counselling process, I am committed to maintaining professional conduct and adhering to the ethical standards outlined by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). In line with these principles, I do not bring my personal beliefs into counselling unless specifically invited to do so.
On a personal note, though, I am a committed born-again Christian and am happy to incorporate a pastoral or biblically based approach to counselling when this aligns with a client’s preference.
Pastoral counselling integrates psychological insight with spiritual care, offering support that addresses both emotional and faith-related aspects of a person’s wellbeing. It provides a compassionate space where individuals can explore their challenges through the lens of their spiritual beliefs and values.
For those specifically seeking clinical pastoral care, I welcome the opportunity to support you—whether through faith-based guidance or another therapeutic approach—as we work together toward healing and personal growth.